# NTSB investigations: Glassy surface

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA277.md): Rans S-6-S · Morgan, VT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 20, 2026 · N528MW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and impact with water.
- [NTSB ERA26LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA075.md): Aviat A-1C-200 · Hawthorne, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 20, 2025 · N656B · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate for a glassy water landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB CEN25LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA211.md): Cessna U206 · Falun, WI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 18, 2025 · N932DB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot experiencing the featureless terrain illusion during the approach which gave the perception that the airplane was at a higher altitude over the glassy water surface than it was, resulting in the airplane impacting the water.
- [NTSB ANC25LA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA057.md): Cessna A185F · Trapper Creek, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 21, 2025 · N3308S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper flare while landing on glassy water, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR25LA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA036.md): Cessna 180 · Owinza, ID · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 13, 2024 · N9493C
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the water during a low pass over a lake.
- [NTSB ERA22LA402](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA402.md): Cessna U206G · Millinocket, ME · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 7, 2022 · N756SG · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate for a glassy water landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ANC21LA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA081.md): Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) · Kodiak, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 21, 2021 · N4334Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and nose over.
- [NTSB GAA20CA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA007.md): De Havilland Beaver DHC 2 · Kodiak, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 7, 2019 · N1544 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain lateral control while landing on glassy water, which resulted in the left float touching the water, a loss of yaw control, and impact with a riverbank.
- [NTSB ERA19LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA229.md): Progressive Aerodyne Searey · Crescent, FL · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 16, 2019 · N632FG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s misjudgment of his altitude during landing and subsequent decrease in pitch attitude, which resulted in a collision with the water.
- [NTSB GAA17CA475](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA475.md): Cessna 180 · Willow, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 4, 2017 · N5236D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare while landing on water with glassy water conditions, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
- [NTSB GAA17CA474](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA474.md): Cessna 210 · Bettles, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 8, 2017 · N9664X · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate glidepath during the approach to the runway over glassy water and in glaring sun conditions.
- [NTSB ANC15CA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15CA024.md): Robert M. Jones Zenith CH 701 · Palmer, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 5, 2015 · N669RJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's excessive descent rate and subsequent hard landing during the landing flare/touchdown.
- [NTSB CEN14LA492](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA492.md): Campbell Super Bearhawk · Sault Ste Marie, MI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 4, 2014 · CFBCA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate flare during landing on water with a glassy condition, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
- [NTSB ANC14CA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA057.md): Dehavilland Beaver DHC 2 · Illiamna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 1, 2014 · N87808 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate landing technique that resulted in a landing area overrun. Contributing was the glassy water conditions.
- [NTSB ERA14CA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA209.md): Cessna T206H · Gilford, NH · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 22, 2014 · N262ME · Substantial damage
  > The pilot misjudged the float equipped airplane's altitude while maneuvering above the surface of a lake, which resulted in a float inadvertently contacting the water. Contributing to the accident were the glassy water conditions and pilot's lack of recent…
- [NTSB ANC13CA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13CA052.md): Cessna U206A · Fairbanks, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 31, 2013 · N4571K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate flare, which resulted in a nose-low impact with glassy water and a subsequent nose-over.
- [NTSB ANC13CA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13CA053.md): Cessna U206G · King Salmon, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 30, 2013 · N77206 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate airspeed control during a glassy water landing, which resulted in an excessive sink rate, and a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA13FA225](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA225.md): Grumman G-44 · Catskill, NY · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 2, 2013 · N8AS · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s misjudgment of the airplane’s altitude above the water and early flare for a landing on water with a glassy condition, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ANC13FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13FA001.md): Grumman G-44 · Aleknagik, AK · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 8, 2012 · N139F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to make multiple low passes over the glassy surface water, which resulted in an impact with the surface of the lake.
- [NTSB ANC09CA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09CA097.md): Cessna 180J · Juneau, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 9, 2009 · N42250 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's misjudged flare and loss of control during a glassy water landing.
- [NTSB ANC09CA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09CA067.md): Cessna A185F · Skwentna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 6, 2009 · N4448R · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to recognize his proximity to the glassy water landing surface while flying in smoke haze, and his failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the landing approach.
- [NTSB CEN09CA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA357.md): Aviat A1 · Garrison, MN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 14, 2009 · N190BA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing on the water and subsequent loss of control.
- [NTSB LAX08LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA281.md): Cessna TU206G · Groveland, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 20, 2008 · N818CT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was retracted prior to the water landing.
- [NTSB DEN08LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA071.md): Hiller UH-12E · La Porte, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 4, 2008 · N40289 · Substantial damage
  > The loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing factors were the sudden windshift to a tailwind, and the pilot initiating a hovering turn in ground effect.
- [NTSB DFW08CA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA084.md): Air Tractor AT602 · Back Gate, AR · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 13, 2008 · N602KP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft. A contributing factor was the wet, grass runway.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f."findingCode", '03023025'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023025/cases

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